Those Frankoma Colors From the 1990’s!

How They Perplex Us!

Is it PLUM or EGGPLANT? PEACH or APRICOT?

NAVY BLUE or COBALT BLUE?

by Kandy Steeples

Black, Forest Green, Navy Blue and Bone were very popular Frankoma colors and their sales numbers kept them in production for many years. New spring colors introduced in the 1990’s were Spring Green, Butter Yellow, Plum, Cornflower Blue (not shown) and Apricot.

Frankoma always manufactured their glazes at the factory. Commercial glazes were not used by Frankoma unless it was something that had to be used on a custom order such as the Keebler cookie jars.

Top L to R: Black, Forest Green, Navy Blue, and Plum. Bottom L to R: Spring Green, Butter Yellow, Bone, and Apricot.

Slight variations to the colors could be attributed to a change in the color frit dye from the manufacturer, application of the glaze itself, the firing temperatures, or simply the “Human Element.”

Glaze colors were usually chosen after participation at the market shows in January. Frankoma had a showroom at the Dallas Market Center and was displayed at various markets around the country, including Denver, Atlanta, Seattle, Chicago and the New York Table Top show. Those shows and meetings with sale reps determined what new colors, if any, would be added or discontinued.

Sometimes adding to the confusion of color identity was the change of the glaze names by various general managers. Spring Green was also known as Lime Sherbet, Butter Yellow was aka Butter Cake, Plum was aka Eggplant, Cabernet (not shown) was aka Raspberry, and Apricot was aka Salmon.

 Those Frankoma colors from the 1990’s: How They Perplex Us!

Frankoma color disks were used by the sales reps to introduce new colors to potential buyers. Note the disks are held together with a leather thong. Courtesy the Wickham-Malone collection.